Book #23 - Matched

Matched
Ally Condie

Blurb:  Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.  The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. (From Goodreads)

Opening Sentence: "Now that I’ve found the way to fly, which direction should I go into the night?"

Length: Medium - 366 pages

Notes:  This is one of those books that has been getting a lot of hype.  In fact, I had to wait quite awhile to get it from the library.  And I was super excited to dig into it.  I read a few reviews before hand, and a lot of people compared it to The Hunger Games, so I was really excited.  Well, I wouldn't exactly say that I was disappointed, because I did really like the book, but I don't really understand why it was compared to The Hunger Games.  The only thing that it has in common is that it is a dystopian novel, and that there is a love triangle.  But, this book didn't have near the action that The Hunger Games did.  In fact, I kept waiting for it to pick up, but I didn't even feel like there was really a climax there.  I know I'm making it sound like I didn't really like it, which I did like it.  It just wasn't the page turner that I was hoping for.  I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, though, and look forward to seeing what happens!

Random quote:  "They have perfected the art of giving us just enough freedom; just enough that when we are ready to snap, a little bone is offered and we roll over, belly up, comfortable and placated like a dog I saw once when we visited my grandparents in the Farmlands.  They've had decades to perfect this; why am I surprised when it works again and again?"

"Lying in bed, my body and soul bruised and tired, I realize that the Officials are right.  Once you want something everything changes.  Now I want everything.  More and more and more.  I want to pick my work position.  Marry who I choose.  Eat pie for breakfast and run down a real street instead of on a tracker.  Go fast when I want and slow when I want. Decide which poems I want to read and what words I want to write.  There is so much that I want.  I feel it so much that I am water, a river of want, pooled in the shape of a girl named Cassia."

Recommend: yes

Have you read this book? Share your feelings!

Bubbles!

Lately, I find myself often looking down at Abbi, wondering where my baby has gone.  She has seemed to just grow up so much - especially in the last 6 months or so.  She is talking like crazy and understands way more than I ever give her credit for.  I look back and see pictures of her, and realize just how fast she is growing up.

Which is why I've been trying harder lately to take advantage of every moment I have with her.  I realize that she's not going to be so little forever, and I don't ever want to look back, regretting that we didn't have more days in the backyard playing bubbles.

.I took probably 100 pictures - it just made me smile to see her running around the backyard chasing those bubbles.  Ohh, to be a child again!

I seriously can't get enough of this little girl.  I love how carefree and happy she is - and how it only take a bubble gun and a big bottle of bubbles to make her happy

Watching bubbles...

Chasing after bubbles...

And even getting the dog involved!  (I love this picture of Max!)

And when mommy has to get up to check on Easton, Abbi just takes over! 

She seriously picked up the bubble gun and just went to town.  I have this idea in my head that she is still this helpless little girl, but she is growing up so fast!

 

I know there will be plenty more days spent like this in the backyard!

Make Up Girl

Abbi's first experience with makeup. Boy am I in trouble when this girl turns into a teenager!!

Wordless Wednesday - Rainy Day Activities

Book #22 - Physik

Physik
Angie Sage

Blurb: Silas has only himself to blame for sparking the plot of the third Septimus Heap installment. Unsealing a long-forgotten room in the palace, he accidentally unleashes the formerly inert spirit of malevolent old Queen Etheldredda. Five hundred years of downtime have not mellowed the scheming monarch; in fact, she's now eager to enact a devilish plan to make herself immortal and omnipotent. To neutralize her, Septimus and his allies must go into corrective overdrive.(From Goodreads)

Opening Sentence: "Silas Heap and Gringe, the North Gatekeeper, are in a dark and dusty corner of the Palace attic."

Length: Long - 544 pages

Notes:What can I say?  I just really like this series!!  They are an entertaining, easy read and I look forward to each book.  And I just saw that a 6th book was released this year!!  The books are quite long, but they go by pretty quickly.  This one was full of adventure, and I really liked the new characters introduced.  This is the first book where there was something left unresolved, so I'll definitely be reading the next book to see what happens!

Random quote: "Septimus was suddenly horribly afraid that the Antidote would not work. He glanced nervously at Marcia, who whispered, "It will work, Septimus. You must believe in it." Physik isn't like Magyk," said Septimus unhappily. "It doesn't matter whether you expect it to work or not. Either it does or it doesn't." "I doubt that very much," said Marcia. "A little belief in something always helps."

Recommend: yes

Have you read this book? Share your feelings!

Today...

Today outside my window…it was rainy and a little cold.  But at least it feels like Spring today!

I am thinking about…putting together a vision board.  I'm feeling like I need some goals and something visual will definitely help. 

I am thankful for… my children.  They really make my life feel complete.

From the kitchen…all I made today were deviled eggs.  Oh, the life of a food blogger...

I am wearing…my jammies - although I did actually get dressed today to go to the store!

I am reading…Physik.  Yes, it's a junior book, but the series is so darn entertaining!

I am looking forward to…Easter.  Family and food - what could be better??

I am hearing…Easton's swing rocking and Josh watching Pawn Stars. 

A few plans for the rest of the week…library day tomorrow and heading to the dollar store to try to find some scarves.  I think I'm going to try to be crafty and make Abbi's Easter skirt!

I need to remember…to have more patience.  It's been a little lacking the last week.

A picture to share…you can't tell me that I don't have the cutest kids - ever.  Just look at that little boy!!

Book #21 - Dark Life

Dark Life
Kat Falls

Blurb: Set in an apocalyptic future where rising oceans have swallowed up entire regions and people live packed like sardines on the dry land left, DARK LIFE is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed.

The story follows Ty, who has lived his whole life on his family's homestead and has dreams of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen. But when outlaws' attacks on government supply ships and settlements threaten to destroy the underwater territory, Ty finds himself in a fight to stop the outlaws and save the only home he has ever known.

Joined by a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her prospector brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and begins to discover some dark secrets to Dark Life.

As Ty gets closer to the truth, he discovers that the outlaws may not be the bloodthirsty criminals the government has portrayed them as. And that the government abandoning the territory might be the best thing for everyone, especially for someone like Ty, someone with a Dark Gift.(From Goodreads)

Opening Sentence: "I peered into the deep-sea canyon, hoping to spot a toppled skyscraper."

Length: Medium - 297 pages

Notes:Confession - I haven't always known what "dystopia" meant.  In fact, it was pretty recently that I had to look it up.  (In case you don't know either, it means "an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian. Dystopian literature has underlying cautionary tones, warning society that if we continue to live how we do, this will be the consequence.")  But after browsing through several book blogs and seeing the term over and over, I looked it up.  This book falls into that category.  (And it seems to me like this is a really popular genre right now - right alongside vampires and warewolves and faeries...)  And I really liked this book.  The whole idea of setting up farms and cities underwater was really fascinating to me.  And believable.  There were times that I thought this book was a little bit predictable, but it was definitely a page turner.  I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Random quote: "'But you're not,' Gemma said. 'You're different. Special. You may as well admit it. And just so you know, it's not normal to want to be normal. People who are normal want to be special.'"

Recommend: yes

Have you read this book? Share your feelings!